How to be a good "mentor" to someone with a new sci?

So mentor doesn't feel like the right word, but you know what I mean, someone who has been injured for a while, then you meet/know someone who is newly injured. I definitely had someone to mentor me through the fucked up part of being a new SCI and navigating through rehab and reentering "real life". She has since passed away, and I actually never met her in real life, but she was an incredibly important person in my life nonetheless.

Recently someone I know somewhat peripherally was injured and I reached out, but wasn't sure what to say. Obviously I know there are times that someone newly injured would not want to converse with a chronic SCI like myself, because obviously the hope is that the new injury will not be permanent or at least there will be significant recovery. So I sent a simple email like "hey, sorry, sucks to break your back. Been there. Lemme know if u want to talk. If not that's cool too. Buena suerte."

Obviously couched it a little more diplomatically than that, but after rewriting the email a half dozen times, I was never able to make it "feel" right. I guess the important pay is to let them know you're there to listen and advise if they want, but what would youse guys say in that situation?

How to be a good "mentor" to someone with a new sci?

Read More

schedule? muscle groups, how many times per week for progress?

I'm trying to improve so I exercise regularly. But I can't do everything everyday so I'm trying to figure out a schedule that will help. I do exercise from my chair, then I also use a up n free walker which I was doing almost everyday. Now I decided I need to try the regular walker with platform attachments. And I try to use a easy stand glider. I can do my exercise from my chair quite a few days a week on my own time with no assistance so not too much of a problem there. But with two walkers and a glider I need assistance and it's usually afternoons after a long day at work. So I can only do one of those things a day. Up n free is good, I just need help getting in it and I can walk unassisted, but I realized the seat is not allowing me to progress like I should if I want to improve and see better more natural ambulation. So my wife started helping me with the regular walker, not easy, I can take about 5 steps so far. So I think I need to keep trying but also other days use the up n free so I can go 150 steps at least and keep my endurance. And then I have the easystand glider that I know is good for me to use. And then I have other training that I know would be good. How do I portion out what I do without not doing something too little to be of much value?

A friend told me today that he thinks if you work a muscle group really well two times a week that it should be enough for success. Thoughts? I'm not trying to do the minimum for success but trying to figure out to do several different things enough to benefit.

A regular walker that I need help with but improve the more I try, a gait trainer that lets me go farther but limits some progress overall, a easystand glider that I'm not actually walking in but am on my feet - As far as the importance of each of these how would you rate them?

Muscle groups like arms, legs, core, how many times a week if one expects to see progress?

Weekends I should be able to do more but during the week am looking to make the most of how and what I train.

I appreciate any help with scheduling workout ideas.

Thank you

schedule? muscle groups, how many times per week for progress?

Read More

Permobil C500VS Stander Drive Standing, Sittiing - Head Array - Only 5 miles, used 1x

Well this has been covered up since it was "delivered new in October 2014". It can be used with the "Head Array" (has proximity switches) or with the joystick. There isn't a single mark on it. Batteries have been kept up. Can deliver anywhere. Has a light kit, Color monitors, EZ Lock, Permolock, ESP, Medical necessities backpack, big angle adjustable tray, etc... Was over $62,000. Asking $21,995 or $19,995 without head array just with a standard headrest..

Attached Images

  

Permobil C500VS Stander Drive Standing, Sittiing - Head Array - Only 5 miles, used 1x

Read More

Pressing

I just met a couple of young guys that showed me how they were pressing wax out of buds!
I smoke some of their product it was very nice it looked like
Wax and there is no chemicals or solvents used
Wondering if anyone else has done this seems new to me but I like itGD

Pressing

Read More

Best Hand Controls for Mazda 5 - recommendations Please?

Folks, I have a 2014 Mazda 5 and would like to know which hand controls you all use on yours? I have my MPDs from my old Mazda MPV but they look Way too bulky for the "5". I would like to find some which provide the cleanest, least obtrusive installation as I still have to get my legs in there. So, please tell me what you use? Oh, I use left hand push, angle down style controls. Thanks FairTradeM&M


"FairTradeM&M - A dream that one day equipment suppliers will provide the disabled with fairly priced products like the rest of the world. Obviously that day has not yet arrived, pity!"

Best Hand Controls for Mazda 5 - recommendations Please?

Read More

New T7 injury

Hello all,

I am new to this forum. My husband is 32 and suffered what we believe is a T7 complete injury in December. He went in for abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery and, we believe, suffered a spinal cord infarction. He was in ICU for 52 days, a step down unit for 10 days, and now he is on day 4 in inpatient rehab. He has had medical issues his entire life, but this is a whole different ball game. We are at the point where we don't know what we don't know. We know that the following things have to happen:
1. He has to get a chair. His inpatient rehab will be evaluating him and helping with this.
2. We have to make modifications to our home.
3. We have to figure out what resources are available to him for ongoing care after inpatient rehab.

We really wanted him to go to Shepherd Center, but they wouldn't take him because he is on dialysis due to an acute kidney injury, also suffered during the surgery. So he is at rehab at the same hospital where the surgery took place. Maybe he will be able to go to Shepherd at some point in the future. I know we have a ton to learn--I think this forum will be very helpful. Thanks.

New T7 injury

Read More

Preparing to renovate for accessibility--platform lift recommendations?

Hello!

This is my first post. My husband suffered a T7 injury in December as a side effect of aortic aneurysm surgery.

We own a 2-story 1926 bungalow in Tampa. We love this house and selling is not an option for us (we would likely take a bath on it, since we just bought it a year and a half ago, and we would still be in need of accessible housing but we wouldn't have any money to spend on making it accessible). So we are interviewing contractors to start renovating.

We know we are going to need a platform lift to travel up and down the stairs. (He has been in inpatient rehab for 3 days so it's way too soon to know whether he'll be able to transfer... so I would rather plan to install the platform lift.) We want something that will require a minimal amount of reinforcement in the wall. I know this will be approximately a $10,000 purchase, and it's something I know almost nothing about (and I'm not in the habit of spending $10,000 on anything without researching it thoroughly). Does anyone have a platform lift they can recommend? Are there any that we should steer clear of? Advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Preparing to renovate for accessibility--platform lift recommendations?

Read More